As is known, antennas typically found on ships, aircraft, vehicles, radar equipped ground stations and the like comprise components (e.g., power supplies, data processing circuitry, GPS receivers, RF switching network) which have a service life (or expected lifetime). In some instances these components fail before the service life and in other instances these components fail after the service life depending upon factors including but not limited to total time of use, nature of use (e.g., extended use vs. periodic use) and operating conditions (e.g., exposure of components to environment and ambient levels). Upon component failure, a decision often needs to be made as to whether the one or more components failing should be repaired, replaced, or if the antenna as a whole should be completely or partially replaced.
Given the high cost of antennas, there is a push to extend the service life of antennas by repairing or replacing failed components versus completely or partially replacing the antenna. However, repairing or replacing these components is neither a trivial nor an inexpensive task, especially for larger antennas spanning meters in length and weighing hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Often, a crane, an experienced crane operator, and experienced technical personnel are required to precisely hoist and remove a radome enclosing the antenna and raise the antenna from a mounting surface on which the antenna is coupled in order for the failed components to be accessed and repaired or replaced by the experienced technical personnel. Additionally, in instances where the antenna is on a ship, the ship generally cannot be in motion and in some cases needs to return to shore (e.g. a port) in order for the radome to be hoisted and removed and the antenna raised by the crane, experienced crane operator, and experienced technical personal. Safety is often a concern as well given the sheer size and weight of the antenna (which can be several meters high and weigh several thousand pounds) and potential frailty of the radome (e.g., cracks in the radome can impact antenna performance). Additionally, in environments where weather conditions can vary drastically, removal of the radome and raising the antenna generally needs to be conducted within a narrow weather window to ensure the safest conditions, which is undesirable.